Director of Sport and Co-curricular

A thriving start to Term 3

Term 3 has launched with tremendous energy across the College, and our Sport and Co-curricular programs are already in full swing. The Sports Department has been exceptionally busy, with students proudly representing the College across a wide range of competitions and activities.

Our Secondary students are competing enthusiastically in the IGSA Weekly Interschool Sport competition, with two Hockey teams, three Football teams and three Basketball teams taking to the field and court each week. In the Junior School, students have embraced the season with three IPSHA Girls Touch Football teams and one Boys Football team competing with great spirit and determination.

We are also delighted to have expanded our interschool sport opportunities this term. Seven teams of students from Years 6 to 12 have joined the Meriden Invitational Badminton Competition on Friday evenings.

These commitments complement our already extensive representative programs, including:

Five Representative Volleyball teams
Twenty-seven IWNA Netball teams
Nine Representative Dance teams
Eight Debating teams competing in the Archdale (IGSA) Competition.

The breadth of student participation across these activities is a reflection of the enthusiasm, talent and dedication that continue to define our College community.

Looking ahead

Excitement is also building as we prepare for the upcoming athletics season. Our representative athletes will soon compete at the IGSA Twilight Carnival on 31 July and the CGSSSA Athletics Carnival on 14 August, where they will once again showcase their commitment, resilience and competitive spirit.

At the time of writing, our CGSSSA Basketball Team has just represented the College at the Championships held at Camellia Sports Centre on 29 July. We congratulate the team on competing with pride, sportsmanship and determination while representing the College.

Winter netball is drawing to a close

With Round 13 upon us, we are quickly closing in on finals season. Please see the table below for the schedule of remaining games. All finals matches will be available once the ladders are finalised at the end of the regular rounds.

Please note that while most of our teams have seven or eight teams in their division, the following teams have six teams: SSC10, SSC15, SSC16, SSC17, SSC20 and SSC22.

SSC25, our U9 team, will play up until Round 16, on 29 August.

Date	Seven or eight teams in division	Six teams in division
8 August	Round 13	Round 13
15 August	Round 14	Round 14
22 August	Semi Finals	Round 15
29 August	Finals	Finals
5 September	Grand Finals	Grand Finals

A quick shout out to our Junior and Intermediate Representative teams who took part in the NSW Schools Cup in Penrith on 28 July and who will represent the College again at NSWCCC Championships back in Penrith on 19 August alongside our Senior Representative team.

Spring Netball

Now is a good time for players to form teams with their friends for the upcoming spring competition. There is no scheduled training, just an expectation that players attend games on a Tuesday evening at Cintra. This is a wonderful opportunity to play with some different friends and keep your skills in check and be ready for the 2027 season.

Further information will be provided in due course.

Thank you

Behind every training session, competition and achievement is a dedicated team of staff, coaches and families whose support makes these opportunities possible.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Sport Department team for their tireless work in coordinating programs, supporting staff and fostering student development throughout each sporting season. Thank you also to our coaches, whose guidance and encouragement help students develop both their skills and their love of sport.

To our parent community, thank you for your ongoing support and commitment. Most importantly, thank you to our students, who continue to wear the College colours with pride, passion and integrity at every event they attend.

Co-curricular Clubs off to a great start

Our Co-curricular Clubs commenced this week and have already attracted strong student engagement across a variety of activities.

Students are enthusiastically participating in programs such as Athletics, Fit Club, Boxing, Dance and Mandarin, enjoying opportunities to explore new interests, develop skills and build confidence in a supportive environment.

These clubs play an important role in providing students with opportunities beyond the classroom, fostering personal growth, wellbeing and social connection. By offering a welcoming and non-competitive setting, students can discover new passions and develop interests that may remain with them throughout their schooling journey and beyond.

Celebrating student success

Outstanding results at the Australian Gymnastics Championships

Congratulations to Chloe Lai (Year 10), Willow Lai (Year 10) and Mina Ju (Year 11) on their exceptional performances at the Australian Gymnastics Championships.

The girls achieved outstanding results across multiple events:

Individual

Mina Ju – Silver Medal (2nd)
Willow Lai – 4th Place

Group

Mina Ju – Gold Medal (1st)

Pair

Chloe Lai & Willow Lai – Gold Medal (1st)

Aerodance

Gold Medal (1st)

These remarkable achievements are a testament to their dedication, perseverance, teamwork and talent. We congratulate Chloe, Willow and Mina for representing themselves and the College with such distinction on the national stage.

Lydia Wang shines on the golf course

Congratulations also to our talented young golfer Lydia Wang, whose recent achievements have been nothing short of outstanding.

Lydia secured the Scratch Gold Medal at the NSW PSSA MacKillop Team Selection Tournament and was named runner-up in the JNJG U12 Tour State Age Championship in the Girls 11 Years division.

Adding to an already impressive season, Lydia competed at the NSWCPS Golf Championships in Blackheath, where she won the Overall Girls Competition and earned selection in the MacKillop Team for the upcoming NSWPSSA Championships in Tamworth this August.

We are incredibly proud of Lydia’s achievements and the dedication she continues to demonstrate in her sport. We wish her every success as she prepares to compete in Tamworth and look forward to following her journey.

From team competitions and representative pathways to individual excellence on the national stage, Term 3 is already proving to be a season of achievement, growth and opportunity. We look forward to celebrating many more successes from our students in the weeks ahead.

Mr Luiz Ramalho
Director of Sport and Co-curricular Activities P-12

Primary Sport

Sydney Catholic Schools Football Championships – Sydney Final

On Thursday 30 July our Gioia House Representative Football team competed in the Final of the Sydney Catholic Schools Football Championships at Lambert Park Sports ground, Leichhardt.

Although the game resulted in a 2–0 loss to St Joseph’s Oatley, the achievement of making it to the championship decider cannot be understated. The team played with heart, resilience and genuine belief, representing the College with maturity well beyond their years.

From the opening whistle, the match was fast, physical and fiercely contested. The girls created several promising passages of play, showing the same determination and teamwork that carried them through earlier rounds of the competition. St Joseph’s proved too strong in key moments, converting their chances and holding firm in defence.

Despite the scoreline, our players never dropped their heads. Their effort, sportsmanship and commitment were outstanding from start to finish.

I would like to pass on my congratulations to all girls involved in the competition this year, you should all be very proud of your efforts and can hold your head up high knowing you gave it your all.

Gioia House Representative Football Team:

Stefania Lazanja
Lina D’Arrigo
Antonia Srdanovic
Sophia Gomesis
Marie Metledge
Alexis Djordjevic
Soraya Obaid
Bailey Nasr
Charly Merhi
Isidor Moussa
Eva Younan
Olivia Lai
Sienna Machaalani
Mischa Sleiman

Sydney Catholic Schools Conference 2 Athletics Championships

On Monday 3 August, 28 students across Years 2 to 6 represented the College at the Conference 2 Athletics Championships. All students represented the College with pride, showcasing their talent on the track and in various field events.

Congratulations to the following students who achieved some amazing results and have progressed through to the Sydney Athletics Championships held on Friday 28 August at Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre

Grace Calcagno 1st Place 12 Years Girls 1500m
Grace Ordakji 3rd Place 10 Years Girls 100m
Sabrina Commisso 3rd Place Junior Girls Discus
Sebastian Portelli 3rd Place Junior Boys Discus
Stefania Lazanja 5th Place 12 Years Girls 100m, 4th Place 12 Years Girls 200m